During Donovan Mitchell’s off season he is educating himself on the wine sector.

The starting guard for the Cleveland Cavaliers is said to be the first-ever NBA star wine apprentice, according to information shared with AFROTECH™. Mitchell dove into the various aspects of winemaking with the help of The Prisoner, a Napa Valley-based wine brand that has worked closely with the NBA since 2020. The company also works with 100 growers in the northern region to produce various blends, according to their website.

Mitchell’s introduction to the winery dates back to two years ago, while attending an event in the midst of the summer league in Las Vegas.

“Ever since then it’s been a non-stop in my house,” he explained in a YouTube video.

Now, as a student in the field and through the assistance of The Prisoner’s head winemakers, Chrissy Wittmann and Todd Ricard, he became more familiar with the systems in place to blend wines while in the barrel room and has gained an understanding of the importance of food pairings with wine selections.

“Now I’m noticing why things taste different after I eat each different food,” he mentioned.

Photo Credit: Benjamin Heath Court

In addition to gaining knowledge, Mitchell was drawn to The Prisoner for their advocacy efforts, specifically focusing on supporting higher education access for incarcerated individuals. Each year, they partner with artists to create a limited-edition vintage, with a portion of the profits going to organizations that assist those who have been incarcerated or are currently dealing with the prison system, their website states.

Together, Mitchell and The Prisoner will donate $25,000 to benefit national nonprofit Alliance for Higher Education in Prison.
“I’m not the expert… I’m trying to be around a brand, be with a brand that symbolizes exactly what I’m about. I think the biggest thing what intrigues me is bringing attention to social injustice in the world through wine. I think that’s just near and dear to me,” he said in a YouTube video.